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Averaging 5 touchdowns per game his senior year, Texas powerhouse quarterback KYLER MURRAY leads our list of America’s best high school players. He and his fellow Parade All-Americans represent the highest level of excellence in American high school athletics, on the road to becoming gridiron legends themselves.

By Lars Anderson • Photography by Steve Williams

The education of the quarterback began when he was 8 years old.

On summer afternoons in Allen, Texas, Kyler Murray and his father would run drills at a local football field. Two of Murray’s grade-school friends would set up as receivers and four as defensive backs. Eyeing the line-up from a shotgun formation, young Murray would call the signals and yell, “Go!”

Dad Kevin Murray, a standout quarterback at Texas A&M in the 1980s, would position himself behind his son and tell him where to pass the ball—whether to throw a slant route, a dig, a post or an out. Over and over, under a tar-bubbling Texas sun, Murray taught his son the basics of “the route tree” and how to dissect a defense based on how it lined up.

“By age 12, Kyler was reading defenses at a fairly high level,” said his father. “Today there are very few things a defense can do that will surprise him.”

Indeed, the young quarterback soon came to dominate under the Friday night lights of big-time Texas high school football. His stats at Allen High speak to perfection: He went 42-0 as a starter and led his team to three straight state championships. In 14 games last season, Murray—now 5’10”, 180 pounds—threw for 3,971 yards and 45 touchdowns, and ran for another 1,409 yards and 24 touchdowns.

For this rare and relentless offensive power, we selected Murray as our 2015 Player of the Year. The 17-year-old Texas star joins a legacy of Parade All-American quarterbacks—Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino and Peyton Manning among them—who not only distinguished themselves in high school, but went on to become legends in college, the NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By all measures of the game, Kyler Murray is poised to do the same.

Even with the promise of a bright career ahead of him, Murray remains humble and grateful. “The success I’ve had all goes back to my dad,” Murray says. “He gave me a head start by teaching me the game at such a young age.”

That head start built confidence along with All-American skills. The crowning hour of Murray’s high school career came several weeks ago in the Texas Class 6A Division I state title game against Cypress Ranch, played before 52,308 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Murray made it look as though he was back on the sunbaked field of his childhood, picking apart the defense, passing for 316 yards and scoring five touchdowns in Allen’s 47-16 victory.

“Kyler is very, very special. Over the years I’ve had hundreds of oh-my-did-he-just-do-that? moments with him,” says Tom Westerberg, the head coach at Allen. “At least once a game, he’d throw a pass that left you just shaking your head and smiling. He’s got so much physical ability and the mental capacity to put it all together on the field. That comes from his dad and being around the game his entire life.”

That father-son football legacy goes back to 1982, when Kevin Murray was named the Dallas-Fort Worth area high school player of the year. Later, as a sophomore at Texas A&M, he threw for 1,965 yards (then a school record) and guided the Aggies to a Cotton Bowl victory.

In the state of Texas, the elder Murray became a legend. But he views the second act of his life—grooming his son and other aspiring football players—to be his most important calling.

Not surprisingly, colleges from coast to coast have been wooing his son since he was 14. Clemson offered him a scholarship when he was a sophomore. Last July, Murray gave a verbal commitment to Texas A&M, his father’s alma mater. Kevin Murray soon received dozens of text messages with variations of the same joke: How does it feel to be the second-best quarterback in the family?

“I always respond that the plan all along was for Kyler to be better than me, and he will be,” says Kevin Murray. “He’s ready for whatever comes. No moment is too big for him.”

Even before he committed to A&M, Kyler Murray had become particularly intrigued with the incredible runs and throws of another alum, Johnny Manziel, one of 14 former Parade All- Americans who went on to win a Heisman Trophy. Murray and Manziel have become friends. “He’s like an older brother,” Murray says. “It’s great to have him on my side. The advice he gives me is invaluable.”

As Murray’s accomplishments piled up, one thing never changed: playing catch with his dad. Even in the dark of night, the two often retreat to their backyard for a throwing session, with Dad pointing out proper mechanics and footwork.

“Kyler is a high-character young man with parents who have kept him grounded and focused,” Westerberg says. “The attention never got to him, and I think that bodes well for his future.”

In the final minutes of Murray’s last high school game, his third state championship, the coach sent in a backup quarterback. As Murray jogged off the field, the crowd of more than 50,000 rose to its feet and senta roar-like thunder into the Texas sky. It was a fitting goodbye to the nation’s top high schoolplayer.

“It’s been a heck of ride,” Westerberg yelled above the din into Murray’s ear on the sideline as the two embraced. “Soak it all in. You’ll have more of this in your future.”

“Thanks, coach,” Murray replied. “I can’t wait.”

Lars Anderson is a 20-year veteran of Sports Illustrated and the author of six books, including the New York Times best seller The Storm and the Tide.

Meet the 2015 Parade All-American First Team

OFFENSE

POS.

NAME

HT.

WT.

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE*

QB

Kyler Murray

5-11

175

Allen (Allen, Texas)

Texas A&M

QB

Ty Storey

6-3

220

Charleston (Charleston, Ark.)

Arkansas

QB

Jake Browning

6-2

205

Folsom (Folsom, Calif.)

Washington

RB

Jacques Patrick

6-2

230

Timber Creek (Orlando, Fla.)

Florida State

RB

Markell Jones

5-11

205

Columbus East (Columbus, Ind.)

Purdue

RB

Kellen Overstreet

6-0

190

Penney (Hamilton, Mo.)

Wyoming

WR

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

6-3

210

Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)

Stanford

WR

Trent Irwin

6-2

190

Hart (Newhall, Calif.)

Stanford

OL

Richie Petitbon

6-4

320

Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)

Alabama

OL

Tristen Hoge

6-5

300

Highland (Pocatello, Idaho)

Notre Dame

OL

Martez Ivey

6-6

270

Apopka (Apopka, Fla.)

Uncommitted

OL

Mitch Hyatt

6-6

270

North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.)

Clemson

OL

Chuma Edoga

6-3

275

McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)

Southern Cal

UTIL

Christian Kirk

5-11

195

Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.)

Texas A&M

DEFENSE

POS.

NAME

HT.

WT.

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE*

DL

Trent Thompson

6-4

295

Westover (Albany, Ga.)

Georgia

DL

Byron Cowart

6-4

255

Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)

Uncommitted

DL

Albert Huggins

6-3

280

Orangeburg-Wilkinson (S.C.)

Clemson

DL

Daylon Mack

6-1

330

Gladewater (Gladewater, Texas)

Uncommitted

LB

Malik Jefferson

6-2

210

Poteet (Mesquite, Texas)

Texas

LB

Justin Hilliard

6-2

230

St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Ohio State

LB

Porter Gustin

6-5

240

Salem Hills (Salem, Utah)

Uncommitted

LB

John Houston

6-3

210

Serra (Gardena, Calif.)

Uncommitted

DB

Iman Marshall

6-1

190

Poly (Long Beach, Calif.)

Uncommitted

DB

Derwin James

6-2

200

Haines City (Haines City, Fla.)

Florida State

DB

A.J. Gray

6-2

210

Washington County (Sandersville, Ga.)

Georgia Tech

UTIL

Deshawn Capers-Smith

6-0

175

Warren Easton (New Orleans, La.)

Texas A&M

K/P

Austin Seibert

5-10

195

Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.)

Oklahoma

HONORABLE MENTION

POS.

NAME

HT.

WT.

SCHOOL

COLLEGE*

QB

Tucker Israel

6-1

200

Lake Nona (Orlando, Fla.)

Clemson

QB

Brett Rypien

6-2

185

Shadle Park (Spokane, Wash.)

Boise State

QB

Joe Burrow

6-4

210

Athens (The Plains, Ohio)

Ohio State

QB

Alex Malzone

6-2

200

Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)

Michigan

QB

Brandon Wimbush

6-2

205

St. Peters Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)

Notre Dame

QB

De’Andre Johnson

6-0

175

First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Florida State

QB

Will Hefley

6-5

205

Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)

Tulsa

RB

Dominick Bragalone

5-11

210

South Williamsport (Pa.)

Uncommitted

RB

Reggie Gallaspy

5-11

205

Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.)

N.C. State

RB

Ke’Shawn Vaughn

5-11

210

Pearl Cohn (Nashville, Tenn.)

Uncommitted

RB

Darrell Henderson

5-9

190

South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)

Uncommitted

RB

Jamarius Henderson

5-11

215

Dale County Chr. (Ozark, Ala.)

Uncommitted

RB

Larry Scott

6-0

205

Hubbard (Hubbard, Ohio)

Michigan State

WR

Deondre Farrier

6-0

195

Lake Nona (Orlando, Fla.)

East Carolina

WR

Damarkus Lodge

6-3

190

Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, Texas)

Uncommitted

OL

Maea Teuhema

6-5

340

Keller (Keller, Texas)

LSU

OL

Lester Cotton

6-4

325

Central School (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Alabama

OL

Drew Richmond

6-5

310

Memphis Univ. School (Tenn.)

Ole Miss

DL

D’Andre Walker

6-2

220

Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)

Georgia

DL

Breiden Fehoko

6-3

295

Farrington (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Texas Tech

DL

Tim Settle

6-3

300

Stonewall Jackson (Manassas, Va.)

Virginia Tech

DL

Darian Roseboro

6-4

265

Lincolnton (Lincolnton, N.C.)

N.C. State

LB

Ricky Deberry

6-3

240

Atlee (Mechanicsville, Va.)

Oklahoma

LB

Roquan Smith

6-2

205

Montezuma (Macon County, Ga.)

Uncommitted

LB

Asmar Bilal

6-3

205

Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Notre Dame

DB

Holton Hill

6-2

185

Lamar (Houston, Texas)

Uncommitted

DB

Minkah Fitzpatrick

5-11

180

St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)

Alabama

UTIL

Kerryon Johnson

6-1

200

Madison Academy (Madison, Ala.)

Auburn

UTIL

Austin Kafentzis

6-1

200

Jordan (Sandy, Utah)

Wisconsin

*College selections are subject to change; choices listed current as of Jan. 8, 2015

HOW WE PICKED THE TEAM: In selecting the All-America Team, Parade contributor Brian McLaughlin, who also blogs about college football recruiting for Sporting News, considered all-state teams, state player of the year honors and statistics, as well as his own observations in person. On offense, he looked for players who had outstanding senior seasons while also exhibiting high-end college-level potential. When it came to defensive players, McLaughlin looked for elite playmakers—top athletes who could change games.